Rotating internal combustion engine



May 3, 1966 E. FRANcEscHlNl 3,249,096

ROTATING INTERNAL coMBUsTIoN ENGINE Filed Oct. ll, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 3, 1966 Filed OCT.. ll, 1963 E. FRANcEscHlNl 3,249,096

ROTATING INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 3, 1966 E. FRANcEscHlNl ROTATING INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed OC. ll, 1963 4 Trae/ym May 3, 1966 E. FRANcEscHINl ROTATING INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oei. ll, 1963 F/C-S United States Patent O 3,249,096 RTATING INTERNAL COMBUSTIN ENGINE Enrico Franceschini, 51 Corso Sempione, Milan, italy Filed Oct. 11, 1963, Ser. No. 315,632 Claims priority, appiication Italy, Oct. 12, 1962, Patent 67 6,351 8 Claims. (Cl. 12S-16) The present invention concerns a rotating internal combust-ion engine wherein a toroidal section chamber has an eccentric inner periphery forming zones of dierent capacity in respect to a disc, rotating inside same, and carrying a variable number of vanes following the periphery of said eccentric chamber, wherein there are arranged the gas inlet conduit, the discharge conduit and the ignition devices.

This engine may be embodied according to dierent schedules depending from the particular features it is wanted to obtain from same; consequently, it is possible to vary the number of vanos, and the arrangement of the cham-ber eccentric zones.

The main feature of this engine consists in the vane 'operating independence, and this brings about a position independence between the Vanes themselves. They are restrained, in their position, exclusively to the central eccentric, which reproduces the chamber peripherie contour and keeps the vanes adhering against said periphery, while moving.

From the above there can be deduced that the eccentric chamber may have a series of variable contours according to any predetermined schedule, as already mentioned; consequently it is possible to modify the cycle to eight or more strokes; and therefore the volumes of the zones corresponding to the four or more phases may each have different capacities. In this way it will be possible to obtain different ratios for each working phase; for instance, in a rotating engine of this type, in respect to the induction chamber, the decompression ratio is of 1220; the compression ratio is of 1:10, while the explosion ratio is of 3.5: l.

It is evident that in this way it is possible to obtain compression expansion curves more nearly close to the theorie curve referring to the explosion engine type it is wanted to realize.

Another feature is given by the exploitation of the chamber volume variations inside the vane, and precisely between the stationary guide and the movable part of same to obtain the suction and the compression of the lubricant.

A further feature of this engine consists in the abolition of the intermittent ignition, substituted by a two-way passage (by-pass) in the explosion chamber, for the successive iirings.

A not negligible feature consists in the fact that the rotating varies are also practically operating as valves, in the sense that in this engine no intake and exhaust valves are needed.

The engine according to the present invention cornprises:

A stationary shaft, on which there is keyed a cam, the prole whereof reproduces the inner eccentric periphery of an annular hollow body, coplanar with said cam, and made fast, by appropriate means, with said stationary shaft; therefore the gap between said inner periphery of the annular body, and the cam periphery is constant;

A hollow rotating disc, journaled on said stationary shaft; apt to rotate within said hollow annular body, and having therefore a toroidal profile, and a plurality of transverse slots extending radially towards the outside;

Plurality of movable vanes, received within said slots, and yapt to follow, with their toroidal contour, the inner periphery of the annular eccentric chamber, due to =a rigid 32%,@95 Patented May 3, 1966 Fpice radial rod, fast to each vane and acting as a tappet on the stationary cam contour;

A stationary guide member, for each vane, fast to said rotating hollow disc, and acting as a sliding guide both for the movable vane and for the central rigid rod, and at the same time operating as a pump for distributing the oil, lubricating said members;

A driven shaft, whereon there is keyed the rotating disc, in a position coaxial with said stationary shaft;

An outer cooling jacket for the annular eccentric charnber.

The invention concerns also an improved and simplified form of embodiment, inasmuch as it results in a more compact engine.

These improvements comprise: a single driving shaft, whereon there is keyed the rotating disc, and serving as an idling journal for two plates carrying the annular eccentric body, which is made stationary by external members; a plural-ity of stationary guide members, fast with the rotating disc, in the thickness whereof there are provided one or more radially extending seats for as many helical springs that keep the vane adhering against the eccentric periphery of said annular hollow body.

Therefore, according to this solution, there are eliminated in respect to the rst solution, the stationary shaft, the cam and the linking rods between cams and varies; and consequently other minor members cooperating with the preceding ones. Further, the parts foreseen according to this second solution are simplified and symmetrical to the advantage therefore of the whole assembly.

In the following detailed description, reference is made to the attached draw-ings, representing in an absolutely schematic, and therefore non limiting way, two practical embodiments of the invention.

FIGURE l is a median longitudinal section, through the annular eccentric chamber, while the inner rotating body is shown partly whole, and partly sectioned, in turn; the venes foreseen in this solution are six in number.

'FIGURE 2 represents a cross-section along the plane passing through I'l-II in FIGURE l; but with the inner vanes brought on the same section line;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-section along the plane passing through III-III in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 4 shows, at a larger scale, a median longitudinal section of a vane element together with all the cooperating members;

FIGURE 5 represents a partial longitudinal section of an engine according to a simplified solution, wherein some members are suppressed, and others are modied, although keeping to the same inventive idea;

FIGURE 6 represents a section along the plane passing through VI-VI in FIGURE 5.

Considering rst of all the FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, it can be seen that the rotating engine consists of the following parts: A stationary rotation shaft 5, on which are constrained, on one side the supporting plate 5, a central cam 7, and two bearings 8 and 9, this last one on the opposite shaft end.

End to end, and coaxial on this side, there is foreseen the driven shaft 10, carrying keyed thereto the cylindrical end 11 of the rotating disc 17, formed so as to be practically journalled on the bearing 9. Said cylindrical projection 11 carries outwardly the bearing 12 acting as a rotating support for the disc 13, opposite the disc 6, and cooperating therewith to carry the hollow ring 14. This hollow ring 14 has: a U-shaped crosssection facing towards the inside, and therefore the inside cavity 15 has a development 16 of toroidal shape; a longitudinal eccentric section with a varying contour of the curves, and therefore the cavity 15, in respect to the inside disc 17, will have zones of varying capacity; an

vouter jacket 1S for circulating a cooling liquid; an intake opening 19 for the inlet of the gas, and an exhaust opening 20; a two-way passage (by pass) 21, wherein there is received a spark-plug 22, whose spread is slightly larger than the width of the vanes. Bypass 21 is a conduit having end apertures 21a and 2lb. When the end 27 of a vane contacts the inner surface of casing 14 in the space between apertures 21a and 21b, aperture 21a opens into the compartment on one side of the vane 27 and aperture 2lb opens into the compartment on the other side of vane 27. Each of the compartments is formed between the casing 14, the disc 17 and successive vanes 27. The compartment in contact with aperture 21a is iilled with very hot gases and combustion products, because fuel ignition has just taken place in it. These hot gases pass through conduit 21 and out opening 2-1b heating the compartment with which opening 2lb is in contact and causing ignition `of the fuel therein, the combustion of which propels the disc 17 in the direction F. Each previously fired compartment provides the heat need to ignite the next compartment so that the ignition spark plug is only needed when the engine is first turned on to provide the initial fuel ignition.

In its turn, the inner rotating disc 17, which, as already explained, is journalled on the bearing 9, on the same side where the same disc is keyed to the shaft 10, is internally journalled also on the bearing 8, by means of the supporting hub 23. The rotating disc 17 is hollow, and has as many through slots 24, radially extending on its terminal zone, as there are predetermined vanes to be received in said slots; in correspondence with said slots, the disc 17 has solid zones 25, with annular grooves 26 for sealing rings.

The vane 27 has a rectangular section, is received and moves inside the slot 24, with a radial motion, since its end 27' constitutes a diaphragm in the cavity 15, between the rotating disc 17 and the eccentric periphery 16 of the ring 14, and'is steadily maintained adhering against said periphery 16 by means of the internal rod 28, which, at one end, is restrained to the head of the very vane, while at its other end is guided by the cam contour 7.

The vane 27 has further an inner cavity 29, wherein finds a sliding seat the guide member 30, having an extended portion 31, made fast to the walls of the disc 17, by means of the screws 32; therefore the vane 27 is guided both by the slot 24 and by the member 30. Necessarily, the guiding member and the extended portion 31 have a hole 33 to accommodate the sliding rod 38. This rod terminates with an extension 2S', within which can :move telescopically the end of the rod 28; between this end and the extension 2S' there is foreseen a compensating spring 34, that can be adjusted by means of a pair of nuts 35 on which rests said spring. The engagement of the end 28' with the cam 7 may be obtained by any preferred system.

The axial hole 3S extends over ahnost the entire length of the rod 2S, and connects to the outside through a plurality of radial holes 36, suitably arranged; in the axial hole 35 there is inserted a long small diameter spring, on the end whereof, opposite to the engine axis, rests a small ball 38, to cooperate in balancing the oil pressure. On one side of the guiding member 30 there is provided a small groove 39, running parallel to axis thereof and communicating with the cavity 29 and with the-outside, through the valve 40. Since, as it was stated above, the parts 27, 30 move relative to each other, inside the cavity 29 there occurs a pumping effec-t; the `oil is sucked through the valve and, through the groove 39, it reaches the cavity 29; during the compression stroke, the oil is driven through the radial holes 36', and more downwards, if there will be an overpressure, it will discharge partly through the lubricating holes 36 and partly the bleed holes 36". It is to be noted that to aid the oil iniiow towards the valve 40, taking into account the direction of rotation F, the part 31, on its right side (looking at the drawing) has a slightly concave proiile as in 41, while on the vane 27, just below the valve 40, there is mounted the slanted fin 42. There are further provided capillary ducts 43, variously arranged, to convey the oil from the inside of the chamber 29 to the seats of the packing rings 44; other capillary ducts (not shown) will be provided 'for the other packing seats; in this respect it is to be noted that the distribution of such sealing packings is neither stated nor shown herein since in designing this engine, a good technician, skilled in the art, can easily solve this problem.

In the variant lshown in the FIGURES 5 and 6, on the driving shaft 50 which is otherwise similar to the shaft 5 in FIGURES l-4 there is keyed the rotating hollow disc 51 indeed the disc supports a plurality of guide members 52 through their extended portion 53 (even these are outwardly similar to those of the first form of embodibent, as represented in the FIGURES 1-4), in correspondence with a certain number of radial slots 24 cooperating with the body 52 in guiding the radially -reciprocating movements of the vane 54. The vane 54 is provided with the valve 40, for the oil intake, and with the groove 39 to carry the oil to the cavity 29. Instead, contrary to Ithe form of embodiment of the FIGURES l-4, vthe vane has one or more upper seats 55 to lreceive one or more springs 56 arranged within one or m-ore cylindrical bores 57 provided in the guide member 52; these springs -keep steadily adhering the toroidal head 27' against the inside periphery 16 of the eccentric ring 14.

This ring 14 is constituting a single body with the lateral supporting plates 59, equal to each other, which through the bearings 60 and the sealing gaskets 61, enclose the shaft 50 for the only purpose of sealing it tightly, since not shown members provide from the outside to support and lock stationary the annular body 14, and the relevant plates 59.

In the drawing, and particularly in FIGURE 5, there are shown three springs 56 with as many seats 55 and 57; it has to be stated that such a number of springs is absolutely non binding since, as already mentioned above, said springs may be foreseen in various numbers according to the judgment of the designer.

The lubrication occurs in a way similar to that shown in the FIGURES 1 4; there has only been added a check valve 58 on the part 53, coaxial with the duct 57, to allow the discharge of the excess oil from said ducts.

As it is easily understandable, this engine may vary in its construction vboth as to the number of vanes, and as to contour of the curved surfaces of the eccentric casing, as well as in the number and capacity of the different zones of the resulting chamber; its construction may require changes and alterations without however departing from the iield of protection of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An internal combustion engine comprising a disc having a plurality of vanes attached thereto, a iirst shaft having at least one cam thereon, a casing having an eccentrically shaped inner surface, activating means and means for drawing off power generated by said engine;

said casing being eccentrically shaped to form a plurality of compartments in individual ones of which are performed the intake, compression, combustion and exhaustion functions of said engine; said iirst shaft being positioned within said casing and being mounted stationary with respect to said casing;

said disc being comprised of a iirst and a second side; said disc being rotatably mounted with respect to said first shaft; said iirst shaft being positioned between said sides of said disc;

said at least one cam being lixedly mounted on said first shaft between said rst and said second sides of said disc; said at least one cam having contours proportional in size and location to the contours of said inner surface of said eccentrically shaped casing; said at least one cam being positioned on said first shaft so that the distance between any point on the cam and the corresponding point on the inner surface of said casing remains constant;

said plurality of vanes being attached to said disc radially from the center of said disc and spaced apart from one another;

each of said vanes having therein a second shaft extending from a rst end thereof and which slidably engages said atleast one cam causing reciprocal axial movement of said second shaft;

the other end of each of said vanes slidably pressing against the inner surface of said casing;

successive compartments being bounded by said casing, said disc and successive vanes.

2. The internal combustion engine of claim 1 having a single cam and in which the said vanes are all coplanar.

3. The internal combustion engine of claim 1 in which each of the said vanes also has a guide and a lubricating system;

said guide being tubular and being affixed to said disc;

said second shaft slidably engaging the inner surface of said guide;

said lubricating system being comprised of a lubricant inlet tube, a storage chamber, a member affixed to said disc, a storage chamber exit tube and exits from said exit tube;

said inlet tube leading to said storage chamber; said second shaft being attached to a first end of said storage chamber; said member being disposed at a second end of said storage chamber;

rotational movement of said disc causing said second shaft to slidably move along said at least one cam causing axial movement of said second shaft which causes said first end of said storage chamber to move toward said second end thereof forcing said lubricant out of said storage chamber into said exit tube and out of the exits from said exit tube onto the interface between said guide and said second shaft permitting lubricated movement of said second shaft within said guide.

4. An internal combustion engine comprising a disc having a plurality of vanes with said vanes each having a lubricating system, a cam means, a casing having an eccentrically shaped inner surface, activating means and means for drawing olf power generated by said engine;

said casing being eccentrically shaped to form a plurality of chambers, in individual ones of which are performed the intake, compression, combustion and exhaustion functions of said engine;

said disc being rotatably mounted within said casing;

said cam means being iixedly mounted with respect to said casing;

said plurality of vanes being connected with said disc radially from the center of said disc and spaced apart from one another;

each of said vanes having a second shaft extending from a first end thereof and which slidably engages said cam causing reciprocal movement of said second shaft;

the other end of each of said vanes slidably presses against the inner surface of said casing; successive compartments being bounded by said casing,

said disc and successive vanes;

each of said vanes having a guide and a lubricating system;

said lubricating system comprising a lubricant inlet tube, a storage chamber, a member affixed said disc, a storage chamber exit tube and exits from said exit tube;

said inlet tube leading to said storage chamber;

said second shaft being attached to a first end of said storage chamber; said member` being disposed at a second end of said storage chamber;

rotational movement of said disc causing said second shaft to slidably move along said cam causing axial movement of said second shaft which causes said first end of said storage chamber to move towards said second end thereof forcing said lubricant out of said storage chamber intosaid exit tube and out of exits in said exit tube onto the interspace between said guide and said second shaft.

5. The internal combustion engine of claim 4 in which said exit tube has a plug means intermediate the said storage chamber and the said exits from said exit tube;

said plug means so shaped and positioned to prevent the lubricant from passing it by which prevents the lubricant on opposite sides of said plug from contacting each other;

said plug means being slidable through said exit tube to equalize the pressure on opposite sides of said plug means.

6. An internal combustion engine comprising a disc having a plurality of vanes attached thereto, a casing, means for pressing said vanes against said casing; activating means and means for drawing off power generated by said engine;

said disc being rotatably mounted within Said casing;

said activating means being connected with the inside of said casing;

said plurality of vanes being attached to said disc radially from the center of said disc and spaced apart from one another;

said casing having an inner surface; an end of each of said vanes slidably pressing against the inner surface of said casing thereby forming compartments bordered by said disc, said casing, and successive ones of said vanes;

said activating means comprising a bypass Which comprises first and second apertures in said inner surface of said casing; said first apertures being joined by a conduit with said second apertures so that a path is established therebetween; said first apertures being spaced from said second apertures suiiiciently so that when each rotationally successive vane engages the inner surface of said casing between said iirst and said second apertures, no end of any of said vanes covers any of said first and said second apertures;

said activating means operative so that when a vane dividing two adjacent ones of said compartment rotationally engages the space between said first and said second aperture, heated explosive gases pass through said first apertures and out said second apertures causing combustion in the compartment into which said second apertures open.

7. The internal combustion engine of claim 1, in which said activating means is connected with the inside of said casing;

said activating means comprising a bypass which comprises first and second apertures in said inner surface of said casing; said first apertures being joined by a conduit with said second apertures so that a path is established therebetween; said rst apertures being spaced from said second apertures sufficiently so that when each rotationally successive vane engages the inner surface of said casing between said first and said second apertures, no end of any of said vanes covers any of said first and said second apertures;

said activating means being operative so that When a vane dividing two adjacent ones of said compartments rotationally engages the space between said rst and second apertures; heated explosive gases pass through said first apertures and out said second apertures causing combustion in the compartment into which said second apertures open.

8. The internal combustion engine of claim 7, the vanes of which also have a guide and a lubricating system; said guide being tubular and aixed to said disc; said second shaft of each of said vanes slidably engaging the inner surface of said guide; said lubricating system comprising a lubricant inlet tube, a storage chamber, a member affixed to said shaft to slidably move along said at least one cam 15 causing axial movement of said second shaft which causes said first end of said storage chamber `to move towards said second end thereof forcing said lubricant out of said storage chamber into said exit tube and out of exits in said exit tube onto the interface between said guide and said second shaft.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Schulz 123-16 Hutsell 123-16 Tidd 126-16 Korany 123--8 Pieper 123--16 Armstrong 123-16 SAMUEL LEVINE, Primary Examiner.

DONLEY J. STOCKING, Examiner.

R. M. VARGO, Assistam Examiner. 

1. AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE COMPRISING A DISC HAVING A PLURALITY OF VANES ATTACHED THERETO, A FIRST SHAFT HAVING AT LEAST ONE CAM THEREON, A CASING HAVING AN ECCENTRICALLY SHAPED INNER SURFACE, ACTIVATING MEANS AND MEANS FOR DRAWING OFF POWER GENERATED BY SAID ENGINE; SAID CASING BEING ECCENTRICALLY SHAPED TO FORM A PLURALITY OF COMPARTMENTS IN INDIVIDUAL ONES OF WHICH ARE PERFORMED THE INTAKE, COMPRESSION, COMBUSTION AND EXHAUSTION FUNCTIONS OF SAID ENGINE; SAID FIRST SHAFT BEING POSITIONED WITHIN SAID CASING AND BEING MOUNTED STATIONARY WITH RESPECT TO SAID CASING; SAID DISC BEING COMPRISED OF A FIRST AND A SECOND SIDE; SAID DISC BEING ROTATABLY MOUNTED WITH RESPECT TO SAID FIRST SHAFT; SAID FIRST SHAFT BEING POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID SIDES OF SAID DISC; SAID AT LEAST ONE CAM BEING FIXEDLY MOUNTED ON SAID FIRST SHAFT BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SAID SECOND SIDES OF SAID DISC; SAID AT LEAST ONE CAM HAVING CONTOURS PROPORTIONAL IN SIZE AND LOCATION TO THE CONTOURS OF SAID INNER SURFACE OF SAID ECCENTRICALLY SHAPED CASING; SAID AT LEAST ONE CAM BEING POSITIONED ON SAID FIRST SHAFT SO THAT THE DISTANCE BETWEEN ANY POINT ON THE CAM AND THE CORRESPONDING POINT ON THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID CASING REMAINS CONSTANT; SAID PLURALITY OF VANES BEING ATTACHED TO SAID DISC RADIALLY FROM THE CENTER OF SAID DISC AND SPACED APART FROM ONE ANOTHER; EACH OF SAID VANES HAVING THEREIN A SECOND SHAFT EXTENDING FROM A FIRST END THEREOF AND WHICH SLIDABLY ENGAGES SAID AT LEAST ONE CAM CAUSING RECIPROCAL AXIAL MOVEMENT OF SAID SECOND SHAFT; THE OTHER END OF EACH OF SAID VANES SLIDABLY PRESSING AGAINST THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID CASING; SUCCESSIVE COMPARTMENTS BEING BOUNDED BY SAID CASING, SAID DISC AND SUCCESSIVE VANES. 